I grew up in a church-going Southern family. This is relevant because I need you to know that I am no stranger to baked goods. If there wasn’t a bake sale going on, then there were pot-luck dinners, church picnics or birthday parties. We never missed out on the chance to make lots of food and fill our bellies with a variety of home made delights.

So imagine my surprise when I was gifted with a cute little spice cake at Oscar’s school and I wasn’t sure if we should eat it. It looked and smelled delicious, yet there was something like a little bell ringing in my ear. Why was I suddenly concerned? I stood in my kitchen admiring the cake and the daintily placed frosting. And then my mind wandered to where it may have been cooked. Who was it from? I didn’t even know. Did his teacher make it? Or was it the assistant? Or maybe the director. Does it even matter? Clearly, I trust all of them with my child, so I am sure they can make a cake.

In my lifetime, I have given and received plenty of homemade goodies as gifts. So this new found worry comes as a shock to my system. I have to wonder though. With so many rules about what foods can be brought to schools and various food allergies, are good old fashioned baked goods a thing of the past? What is to become of truly tasty treats that can’t be bought?

In the end, we decided to eat the cake. It was delicious served with a side of trepidation. And we’re all just fine. That said, I don’t think I will be baking any gifts this year.

28 Responses to Do baked goods make bad gifts?

They may like it, they may hate it, but it’s what I’m giving this year because it’s all I can afford. Everyone I’m giving to knows that my kitchen is kept immaculate.

Kellysays:

November 20, 2012 at 8:54 am

I have to say that if I’m baking goods to share then the standards are different than if I’m baking things just for me. I usually lick the spoon after. I have picked up stuff off the floor, but it gets washed. Again, those are for things for me, not things for others.

Good points. I’d definitely take into consideration who/where the gift came from.

Danny's Mommasays:

November 20, 2012 at 9:04 am

Well there was this story on my local news very recently, about a highschool in the next town over from where I live. Apparently, some teenagers decided to bake some cupcakes. They peed in the batter. They handed them out to kids they didn’t know at school.

That said, no, I probably wouldn’t accept a home made food gift from someone I didn’t know. The thought is nice, but there’s always the “what if”.

But, if you’re giving to (or receiving from) a home made food gift from friends or family, the more the merrier! I love when someone I know (and trust) bakes me a tiny little spice cake or banana bread, especially if they bake it in cute little loaf pan that doubles as part of the gift.

Ambersays:

November 20, 2012 at 9:10 am

I’m considering home made gifts for teachers this year. I just have too many teachers to buy a gift for. I wonder what they will think? I usually don’t eat anything unless I know the person well.

JCsays:

November 20, 2012 at 9:16 am

This is such a sad reflection of the times. If I know where it came from, I would eat it. Unlikely your neighbor/teacher/administrator would give you something likely to make you sick seeing as we live in sue-happy-America. If I wasn’t sure where it came from, I would inquire and make the decision then.

I love baked goods because although I love to bake, I rarely have the time these days. And I like trying other people’s versions/favorites.

Deannasays:

November 20, 2012 at 9:35 am

I have to say, if I know the person I will eat it… if I don’t it goes in the trash.

One more thing, is I would much rather have a “frozen” version of the baked good (like cinnamon rolls, cookies etc.) so I can have “fresh home made” whenever I want it.

jamiesays:

November 20, 2012 at 9:36 am

my DH used to have baked goods and treats given to him by employees all the time, best baklava i’ve ever had.
i do like to know the sender too…but i’m not going to die from licked spoon or dropped on the floor.

Bethsays:

November 20, 2012 at 10:09 am

Licking the spoon…. The oven temp and time will kill most anything. Hence why you most likely won’t Salmonella from eggs used. Licking the cupcake after it’s baked, that’s different.
But remember back to your childhood, never take candy from strangers.

Andrea Updykesays:

November 20, 2012 at 10:38 am

Yes Beth, I think the main difference is really knowing the person who is doing the baking!!

Jen E.says:

November 20, 2012 at 10:25 am

Yummy home-baked goods are about the best gift anyone can give me. (Doesn’t happen often though.) Love, love, love me some baked goods. You are all welcome to forward your unwanted cupcakes and cookies my way.

For those of you who say no way, I’m curious how do handle bake sales? Usually run by children or church groups, those hopeful eyes looking up at you from the table. Do you say no thanks? Or buy something out of guilt and then toss it? (Personally I’ve never been able to walk away from a bake sale empty handed.)

Andrea Updykesays:

November 20, 2012 at 10:37 am

I definitely feel you on the bake sales. I think since I was raised in a very small church, everyone knew each other for years so we didn’t think a thing of it. Now with new people and new schools I am realizing that we have to be a bit more discerning. But if I KNOW you? Hand over the cookies

Mandysays:

November 20, 2012 at 11:07 am

Oh my I am defintiely not someone who worries about this stuff. Ignorance is bliss, in my opinion and I certainly don’t know the baker personally at the local bakery or grocery store, so what’s the difference? Sure, businesses have regulations, but people still find toenails in their “regulated” food, so I’ll take my chances and enjoy any baked good that comes my way. Even if the spoon was licked or dropped on the floor

I love baked goods as gifts! Both giving and receiving. It never really occurs to me to question it. Our school district, however, has banned all homemade foods for any reason. Everything must be store bought.

It’s often cheaper to bake something but when it comes to my daughter’s daycare, I only give them store bought items. No one is blaming me for people getting sick.

When it’s about acquaintances, I’ll eat it, like you, with trepidation. But I’ll eat it and gift it just the same.

When it comes to my best friends we just eat everything everyone makes. If my friend licks the spoon, it’s no biggie. Some of us have been room mates, classmates and have known each other for years. If we haven’t given each other our germs yet, nothing will.

Tarasays:

November 20, 2012 at 7:35 pm

I had a friend who worked at KFC and he said they used to pee in the mashed potatoes. So nothing is a guarantee unless you prepare it yourself. I’ve definitely bought baked goods from fundraising events, so I would accept baked goods as a gift and eat it.

Fionasays:

November 20, 2012 at 9:51 pm

I had some lovely cake at our local sports facility made by the canteen lady, the cake was delicious until I found a rogue hair in it (not mine) and found I could never buy a piece of cake again.

Elizabeth Nortonsays:

November 20, 2012 at 11:23 pm

If I know the person and have been to their house….yes.

victoria spiveysays:

November 21, 2012 at 5:50 am

i bake for the teachers and bus driver and family members for gifts, i bake lots for my husbands work too . i have sold breads and cheesecakes for extra money from my kitchen, especially when times were hard. i am very ocd when it comes to my house esp kitchen. but i will say this i do not eat my mil’s gifts , seeing as she has 5 cats she allows on counter tops and she smokes when cooking. i can just feel my throat closing up when she gives my husband baked goods. i cant even eat dinner there.

elanisays:

November 21, 2012 at 5:59 am

I find this concept totally bizarre. The idea of eating baked goods with trepidation, as though they are more worrisome that what comes out any resturant or bakery or other commercial food source. In fact, I feel like this post would make much more sense if it were talking about foods that contained meat, dairy, or greenery as those items are more likely be the culprits in cases of food poisoning/food caused illness. Bread that’s been in the oven at 350 for an hour and a half? Not a real red flag to me.
As for cleanliness of kitchen/cooking practices, everyone thinks their kitchen is the cleanest. In truth, I’d rather eat something made out of a kitchen cleaned with natural products like vinegar, baking soda, lemon etc. which might perhaps have more germs than one that’s been soaked in bleach, ammonia and who knows what and is 99% germ free. I don’t understand this facination with germs.
Am I going to eat something that came from a house I saw on hoarders or someone I watched hack cough all over them? No. Am I going to walk around assuming an aquantinance or strangers home couldn’t possibly be up to my standards and refuse their treats? No. If someone has gone to the extra effort to make something rather than grab it from a grocery story or bakery I think I’m more likely to eat it.
As for the giving of baked goods, I’ve given Christmas treat baskets for years without complaint. It anyone doubts the cleanliness of my kitchen they are more than welcome to tell me so I can give their basket to someone less uptight and more grateful, but somehow I don’t see that happening since they are usually half devoured by the next day.

Carolynsays:

November 21, 2012 at 6:01 am

I love baked gifts! I would only feel uncomfortable accepting a baked gift from a person I barely knew, and that is just because ANY gift from someone you barely know is awkward.

That being said, I do worry about giving baked gifts myself. One reason is that a lot of people don’t bake, and if you do then they look at your gift as trying too hard, like you are trying to show them up or something. The other more practical reason is a lot of people have dietary restrictions against gluten, nuts, etc, which makes baking hard to do. So if I give a baked gift, it is going to be to someone who I know well enough that I am familiar with their dietary rules.

Karensays:

November 21, 2012 at 6:50 am

My neighbors and co-workers look forward to their tin of homemade cookies and cranberry bread every year. Some will start asking about it all December long making sure I am including their favorites in the mix. I am sure once my son is old enough for school his teacher will be included in the list of recipients.

brittsays:

November 21, 2012 at 7:32 am

Sheesh, talk about paranoia. I’ll happily accept baked goods as gifts! Who’s to say the food you buy from a store or restaurant hasn’t been tainted in some way? Who is really going to sit and panic over it? Some people are so fearful.

Jenellesays:

November 21, 2012 at 1:06 pm

I usually eat baked goods from others. Especially bake-sale stuff. It’s fun to try new things.
However…I have been gifted baked goods that I have refused to eat – one was delivered on a dirty plate, another smelled overwhelmingly like cats when we opened the bag, and if it was baked in a home with smokers, I usually take one bite and have to toss the rest. The cat one skeeved me out the worst – took awhile til I could eat gifted items again!

LKsays:

November 24, 2012 at 8:00 pm

I am a teacher, so I do receive a certain amount of baked goods from students. I eat the baked good or don’t depending on a couple things. Basically if I know the parents and/or know the home. I am NOT a germaphobe, so most of the time I do eat it so that I can truthfully thank the child for the food, but there have also been many, many items that have gone in the trash as soon as the child leaves the room. Cannot take too many chances. And as much as I love certain kids, I would not trust food from their kitchens any more than I would eat dirt and germs on purpose.

Juliesays:

November 26, 2012 at 4:29 am

Now I’m paranoid! I’ve made baked goods for my husband’s co-workers and bosses for the last few years. He works for the federal government so there’s a pretty low limit on how much he can spend on gifts, especially for his bosses. One of his coworkers specifically asks for my homemade cappuccino cookies (a recipe that I got from a Babycenter post a few years ago). But, now I wonder if I should be giving baked goods. I don’t usually give baked goods to my kid’s teachers. Just because I figure they probably get a lot of that kind of thing. I get them gift cards.

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